I appreciate your whole post. But along the lines of "the information that has been released thus far...... "

That also includes Posey getting on the field next week & being "ahead of schedule"

Doesn't that point to less than a complete tear?

Not necessarily. For one, when I see "ahead of schedule," I tend to break into a sweat. Secondly, if I were allowed, I could be "getting on the field" next to Posey during mini-camp. What will he be doing while "on the field" is the question. At almost 5 months, light running on the field is not miraculous. Deon Hall had his Achilles re-attached in November of 2012, was doing light running by 4 months and backpedaling and coning before 5 months. But he was not medically cleared thereafter for OTAs or mini-camps. He was finally released just prior to TC, 8 months post surgery.

So much is made about truly early return of players from severe injuries such as Achilles tendon tears that we fail to appreciate that most players still follow the older established recovery times. There is a very good reason that many very good physicians do not take the chance with their Achilles patients to return too early just to say that they were "ahead of schedule." As serious an injury as a primary rupture can be, those 5% that go on to re-rupture can be catastrophic. But I'll be waiting just like you to see what really happens.

During OTA's, players rehabbing injuries do running work supervised by trainers on a completely different field.

Media is not supposed to take pictures of that activity.

So, when Antonio Smith is giving rave reports about how Cushing looks, it is partially based on seeing him do work on the separate field. If you didn't know Cushing was hurt last year, you would not be able to tell watching him run.

So I am guessing Posey will be joining Cushing over there. Eventually, I expect to see Foster on that side field.

Lots of good plays by wide receivers during red zone drills.

Just about all the WRs had some good gets, though Bonner and Jean probably had the flashiest ones in traffic. Bonner made one that it looked like he was going to go out the back corner and managed to stay inbounds. Texans staffers near by gave him the TD signal.

Would be nice if one of these could be fabricated in the horizontal position so us old folks with bad backs or limited pulmonary function could...awh...just wishful thinking.

Recumbency is not necessary. These machines have been used successfully for patients with extremely severe back disc problems and since these can be set to almost no gravity, pulmonary patients are also able to us them to obtain aerobic benefits.

The downside is the device's cost. The cheapest found in some gyms runs ~$30-35,000. These gyms usually charge $100-200 per month or separately per visit or by the minute for its use. The ones, like used here in the Med Center for injury rehab run more than $75, 000-100,000.

Keep in mind the company producing these various models disclaim medical benefits from all but its most expensive "medical" units.

During OTA's, players rehabbing injuries do running work supervised by trainers on a completely different field.

Media is not supposed to take pictures of that activity.

So, when Antonio Smith is giving rave reports about how Cushing looks, it is partially based on seeing him do work on the separate field. If you didn't know Cushing was hurt last year, you would not be able to tell watching him run.

So I am guessing Posey will be joining Cushing over there. Eventually, I expect to see Foster on that side field.

Lots of good plays by wide receivers during red zone drills.

Just about all the WRs had some good gets, though Bonner and Jean probably had the flashiest ones in traffic. Bonner made one that it looked like he was going to go out the back corner and managed to stay inbounds. Texans staffers near by gave him the TD signal.

During OTA's, players rehabbing injuries do running work supervised by trainers on a completely different field.

Media is not supposed to take pictures of that activity.

So, when Antonio Smith is giving rave reports about how Cushing looks, it is partially based on seeing him do work on the separate field. If you didn't know Cushing was hurt last year, you would not be able to tell watching him run.

So I am guessing Posey will be joining Cushing over there. Eventually, I expect to see Foster on that side field.

Lots of good plays by wide receivers during red zone drills.

Just about all the WRs had some good gets, though Bonner and Jean probably had the flashiest ones in traffic. Bonner made one that it looked like he was going to go out the back corner and managed to stay inbounds. Texans staffers near by gave him the TD signal.

You've seen a few OTAs, tell us with a comparison to previous years WRs corps how the 2013 version stacks up. Are they better/worse than the 2012 squad?

Deon Hall had his Achilles re-attached in November of 2012, was doing light running by 4 months and backpedaling and coning before 5 months. But he was not medically cleared thereafter for OTAs or mini-camps. He was finally released just prior to TC, 8 months post surgery.

So much is made about truly early return of players from severe injuries such as Achilles tendon tears that we fail to appreciate that most players still follow the older established recovery times.

So the baseline is 8 months for a complete rupture? Which would be some time in August....

So the baseline is 8 months for a complete rupture? Which would be some time in August....

Quote:

Originally Posted by ObsiWan

Still.... I'd rather see Posey PUP'd. Why rush him back?

Expanded quotes from Kubiak today:

Quote:

(on how far WR DeVier Posey has come in his rehab) “He’s doing great but he can only do so much. He’s doing everything he can do. The old ‘ahead of schedule,’ that applies here. But remember, we’re making a decision on him at the end of camp because of the PUP and those type of things. He’s doing everything he can. He’s going to come back and he’s going to play for us next year. How early is the question.”

(on if he likes seeing WR DeVier Posey out at OTAs helping out) “He’s making sure he gets better because the biggest thing he struggled with last year was just catching up on what we do. Once he did, he was very competitive and played well for us. He’s staying involved in that and that will help him when he comes back.”

“I think I’m close,” Williams said. “I think I’m going to run out of time before I’m actually cleared to play. I think I’m going to be fine. I think we’re going to be out of minicamp by the time they say, ‘Go ahead and do everything.’”

PDS ‏@PatDStat
#Texans worked out TE Billy Bajema today according to @RavensInsider. Makes me believe the Supernaw injury is one that will take time.

TE Garrett Graham talked highly of rookie Ryan Griffin. Graham said "Griff is going to help this team." #Texans

Is 8 months the baseline, which would be August? If he's truly ahead of schedule, would that mean before August (it would if 8 months is the baseline)

If he's ready to participate in practice in October, is that "ahead of schedule"

That's all I'm trying to do, establish a baseline.

I don't consider him ahead of schedule. Rather, ifs there is any truth to his present status, he would be considered on schedule. Eight months would be a reasonable time to expect him to be back on the contact field. But closer to 10-12 months would still probably be the more realistic time to expect him to become "contributory."

Taking everything I know at this point, including likely having a WR corps that is expected to be (barring injury) more solid than last year going into the beginning of the season, I would tend to feel more comfortable putting him on PUP and letting him re-strengthen his muscles and tendon to the max before putting out there "for real."

As with Brennan who was to be back by last OTA, then this week, then mini-camp.........now, hopefully, he'll be back for TC..........

There is a big difference between participating in "window dressing" activities and being thrown into the next level, let alone real game bullets........and that is where there is real separation in injury "recovery"
between one player and another.

Taking everything I know at this point, including likely having a WR corps that is expected to be (barring injury) more solid than last year going into the beginning of the season, I would tend to feel more comfortable putting him on PUP and letting him re-strengthen his muscles and tendon to the max before putting out there "for real."

In one of the Suggs quotes, he mentioned that you aren't supposed to do anything at all for a substantial period of time. Then we saw the anti-gravity treadmill which you said will help determine when the player can get on the field. Then we hear about Cushing & some of the others working out on a separate field.

However, the players are often saying they are "doing everything they can to come back." or "I'm working extra hard"

In Posey's case, where he most likely isn't allowed to do a whole lot, how much "hard work" can they really be doing? Isn't this just a healing process & the body is going to heal when it heals?

In one of the Suggs quotes, he mentioned that you aren't supposed to do anything at all for a substantial period of time. Then we saw the anti-gravity treadmill which you said will help determine when the player can get on the field. Then we hear about Cushing & some of the others working out on a separate field.

However, the players are often saying they are "doing everything they can to come back." or "I'm working extra hard"

In Posey's case, where he most likely isn't allowed to do a whole lot, how much "hard work" can they really be doing? Isn't this just a healing process & the body is going to heal when it heals?

That's the whole point. The body's healing process is pretty well set, some a little quicker, some a little faster..........but most right in the middle. (There will always be that outlier out there.) There is more chance that if a body is pushed too hard too fast it will suffer a significant setback, rather than if not pushed to the max it will significantly slow the recovery.

In one of the Suggs quotes, he mentioned that you aren't supposed to do anything at all for a substantial period of time. Then we saw the anti-gravity treadmill which you said will help determine when the player can get on the field. Then we hear about Cushing & some of the others working out on a separate field.

The "rest" period that Suggs speaks of refers to the first 3 months where you are to remain totally immobile except for the limited passive range of motion supervised by the therapist. The antigravity treadmill determines when the patient can begin to run, on the field or otherwise. When players are on the "separate field," they are basically doing rehab such as bicycling, running straight line, gradually progressing to cones, to skipping, backpedalling, etc.

That's the whole point. The body's healing process is pretty well set, some a little quicker, some a little faster..........but most right in the middle. (There will always be that outlier out there.) There is more chance that if a body is pushed too hard too fast it will suffer a significant setback, rather than if not pushed to the max it will significantly slow the recovery.

So this whole, "I'm working my butt off to get back." Is just empty talk from the player? ?